Reserves Recap: RSL 1-2 San Jose Earthquakes

SANDY, Utah – The Real Salt Lake Reserves (3-3-2, 11 points) gave up a pair of second half goals to fall 2-1 to the San Jose Earthquakes Reserves (2-3-0, 6 points) at America First Field on Sunday.

RSL MF Sebastian Velasquez put the Claret-and-Cobalt up 1-0 in the 55th minute before San Jose FW Cordell Cato and MF Rafael Baca scored in the 61st and 84th minutes to give the ‘Quakes the win.

Neither side had much going in the first half. RSL’s best look came in the 29th minute, when MF Yordany Alvarez slipped FW Devon Sandoval into the left side of the box with a quick free kick. Sandoval ran onto the pass and fired a shot on frame that Earthquakes GK David Bingham parried away for a corner kick.

San Jose had a decent look in the 42nd minute. Cato dribbled into the right side of the box and – after his defender slipped – hit a hard 10-yarder that RSL GK Lalo Fernandez saved nicely.

Velasquez put RSL up 1-0 in the 55th minute. Alvarez collected a ball from MF Luis Gil near the top of the box, deftly slipping Velasquez through in the right side of the area. The second-year midfielder took it from there, collecting the ball and opening his hips before coolly slotting his 10-yard effort past Bingham and inside the far post.

San Jose equalized in the 61st. Cato collected a loose cross from MF Jorge Molino at the top of the 18, turning and firing home past Fernandez.

RSL made a pair of substitutions immediately after the goal, inserting MF Cole Grossman for MF David Viana and guest player MF Victor Garza for guest player FW Scott Sealy in the 61st. The appearance was the first in any match for Grossman since he suffered a concussion in RSL’s loss at FC Dallas on March 23.

Real Salt Lake had a shout for a penalty in the 80th minute. Substitute FW Olmes Garcia was fouled by San Jose MF Ramiro Corrales near the box, with referee Alejandro Mariscal initially pointing to the spot for a PK before changing his mind and giving RSL a free kick just outside the area. Velasquez put the ensuing free kick on goal, but Bingham came up with the save at the near post.

Baca put San Jose on top in the 84th minute. A ball got chipped in from the left side and bounced around in the box and Baca took advantage, running onto it in the left side and looping a header over Fernandez and inside the far post from eight yards out.

The RSL Reserves will play again on Saturday, June 15, when they’ll travel to Arizona to take on USL Pro side Phoenix FC at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium on Tempe, Ariz.

The Claret-and-Cobalt will return to MLS action on Saturday, when they’ll host Western Conference rival LA Galaxy at Rio Tinto Stadium.